Dreams and Lamentations

What happens when Babylon 5 meets.... who?

The Bleed.
Narn Colony world G’aran IV.
Known to the native inhabitants as Nekheb El-Kab.
Present day.


G”kar was ill at ease.

His leathery fingers drummed on the desk as he reclined in the chair. He fidgeted slightly, adjusting his bulk. The Captain of the Bin’tak warship he was on, a grim but determined officer named Ti’ral had offered him the finest quarters on the monstrous Narn ship of the line. But ever the ascetic G’kar had declined. At the moment he was regretting that slightly, as the metal edge of the crewman’s chair bit at an uncomfortable angle into the flesh of his broad, scaly back.

He sighed for a moment, setting down the colonization report parchments and their endless bureaucratic details. Instead he focused on remembering his time on the planet just a few short hours ago. He realized he enjoyed the sheer awe the orb below had engendered in him. It was like traveling back in history, to the world his forefathers had known before the occupation. The tranquil breeze brought the smells of the diverse flora, languid and sweet and kissed with faint hints of jasmine and lilac. The temperature was just precisely so, perfect for a Narns sensibilities. Abundant water filled the land, from placid lakes to windswept seas to vast oceans teaming with the stuff of life. Just the right amount of deadly predators to challenge the Narn hunters, an amazing and disparate diversity in the biosphere that would prove a wonderful backdrop for the ailing Narn regime as it opened this astonishing new world as a refuge for its war torn populace. If he didn’t know better, G’kar would have sworn someone had designed the planet specifically for his kind.

The former Narn ambassador pursed his lips as a thought occurred to him, and spread the reports out in front of him on the desk, near his weathered copy of the Book of G’Quan. Yes, of course. The mineral analysis had revealed numerous strategic materials to help rebuild the Narn economy. Even trace elements of Quantium-40, with the possibility of a significant deposit. The geologists were delighted at this prospect, as well as a new mineral with exciting energy properties that the locals had already begun to mine. The Kha’ri could end its squabbling over the priorities of how to use the Regime’s limited resources. G’kar himself along with numerous other elder Narn of the first and second circles would ensure that the biosphere of the planet would be respected, even revered. They would never allow it to become like Home, with its scarred surface screaming its testament to the cruelty and lack of foresight of the Centauri oppressors.

But there was more. The power of the symbolism of this place was not to be underestimated. Its sheer existence was profound to the Narn people, another revelation of the wisdom of the past. And in terms off what it could mean as the doorway to new opportunity and spiritual enlightenment! The old Narn lifted his eyes toward the heavens and shook his head. It was literally a dream come true.

There was a slight scuffle in the corner of the room. G’kar was torn from his reverie and turned to look at the disheveled boy there, with his dirty face and tossled hair, earnestly scratching at a section between his shoulder blades that he just couldn’t quite reach. The boy smelled of the farm. He stopped for a second when he realized the elder Narn was staring at him. He fidgeted for a second, and then smiled at G’kar. It was a smile that touched his all too human eyes.

The spiritual leader of the Narn people frowned, gestured dismissively and turned away, scowling at the bulkhead. The boy giggled.

G’kar was ill at ease.

The door chimed. G’kar rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Yes? What is it?”

The door opened, revealing the earnest young lieutenant that Captain T’ral had assigned to G’kar as an attaché and liason. He struggled for the name. Be’rak, he seemed to recall. “Honored elder?” his voice, tinged with youth and deference, rang out.

“Ah! I told you not to call me that! I am not some ancient, besotted octogenarian, fit only for the comforts of hearth and home! I am in the prime of my life!” G’kar thumped his leather jerkin in the chest with his massive fist for emphasis, making an impressive sound. He thought for a moment he might ruin it by coughing, but the moment passed.

“My apologies, sir, I meant not to offend!” The young officer looked horrified at the thought, and began bowing to G’kar, debasing himself.

“No, no, no!” The former ambassador of the Narn was up and closed the distance to the officer in two long strides. Grabbing Be’rak by his arm, he hauled him upright, until their faces were close and their eyes locked. The lieutenant looked shocked at the gesture.

“We have spent far too long bowing to those we thought were our betters, lad. I am no more or less than you. We are all travelers along the path laid out to us in the Book of G’quan. You should bow to no being, even another Narn. Stand proudly on your feet. You will find they travel you along the Path in ways you couldn’t yet dream.” G’kar cocked his head, his red eyes peering into the young lieutenants, searching. The shock in those eyes faded, and G’kar released him, stepping back, and nodded to himself.

Lieutenant Be’rak looked lost in thought , considering the implications of G’Kars sudden parable. He lowered his eyes quickly, and began to speak. “Yes, honored eld….” He stopped, laughed for a second, and grinned sheepishly. “Yes, Citizen G’kar. I think I understand.”

The young human boy in the corner giggled again. The two massive Narns, towering over him in their leather armor shared a look. G’kar shrugged, and turned back toward his desk, glancing at the parchment reports once more.

“And why have you come to see me, Be’rak? I told the Captain I wished not to be disturbed. There is much to ponder concerning what we have found here.”

“My apologies once more, Citizen G’Kar,” the Lieutenant said with renewed confidence, “but we have received a communication for you.”

“A message? Here?” G’kars brow rose. “From whom? The Kha’ri?”

“No, Citizen G’kar. It is not a message, but a two way transmission. We have traced it back to what appears to be hyperspace communications buoy near the edge of the Bleed. The encoding indicates it a communiqué from the Interstellar Alliance.”

“The ISA? Indeed. This is most unexpected.” G’kar looked down at the table, glancing over the report parchments, then over to the book of G’Quan once more. “Most unexpected. Put it through in here in my quarters please.”

Lieutenant Be’rak nodded, came to attention, then spun precisely on his heels and left the room. The comm station sputtered for a moment, then turned on, the symbol of the Kha’ri emblazoned in the electronic pixels of the screen.

G’kar looked over at the human child again. “I think we may be in trouble, my young friend.” The ambassador breathed in, then drew himself up.

The boy just looked back at him. Then a beatific smile spread across the child’s face.

The emblem of the Kha’ri disappeared, and a man’s face appeared on the screen. From his years as a diplomat on Babylon 5, G’kar realized this man from the Interstellar Alliance was not at all pleased.

The dis-ease he had been feeling all day disappeared, and G’kar turned to the screen, and smiled.

G’kar’s face lit up as he saw the visage of the man on the screen. “Mr. Garibaldi! How good it is to see you!” The former Babylon 5 officer was in a plush setting, an executive office of some Mars corporation if G’kar could trust his memory. Yet for all of the finery surrounding him, there was a touch of annoyance and exasperation in Garibaldi’s blunt features.

The human leaned over his desk, hands propped before him, and as always a sense of intensity infused him that belied his casual mannerisms. Oh yes, G’kar knew this human well. In a voice more even than the tension in his posture would suggest, Michael Garibaldi acknowledged his greeting. “G’kar.” He nodded and the Narn could see the effort of will that it required to force himself to lean back in his chair. Interesting.

It occurred to G’kar that it was an irony of the universe that he so often had to spar with those he considered his oldest comrades. Still, he had to admit; verbally sparring with Michael Garibaldi was always a thrilling experience. “It seems that fate has awarded you for your travails, my old friend. You are looking well!” Indeed, the Narn’s critical eye roved over the details of the former security officer’s surroundings. His suit was of the finest nanoweave, the office behind him resplendent in its opulence, the crystal sculpture in the back ground as fine a work of art as he had ever seen. The President of Edgar Industries was not wanting for the luxuries of temporal life. G’kar wondered how that might have changed the man he once knew.

“This is not a social call, G’kar.”

“Ah, I see. I regret we don’t have time for each other as we once did, Mr. Garibaldi. But destiny seems to have unusual plans for the both of us.’ The Narn spread his gauntleted arms out appeasingly.

“Cut the bull, G’kar. You wouldn’t believe the hoops I’ve had to jump through to track you down.”

‘Oh, I can imagine, Mr. Garibaldi. I must say I am quite surprised to hear from you all the way out here’

Garibaldi grimaced and moved his arm in agitation. “That’s the problem, G’kar. I’m not sure I even understand where your ‘here’ is! The boys in the lab are bending their minds inside out trying to understand the math involved!”

“Yes, yes, I understand. It is quite the conundrum, old friend.”

“Right. Old friend,” Garibaldi stressed those words, the strain in his demeanor finally expressing itself in his voice. “I’m not here to banter with you, G’kar. Delenn asked me to track down rumors that some of the ISA funding to rebuild the Regime had been diverted to non-humanitarian ends. Lo and behold the Rangers find a hidden shipyard in Quadrant Twelve, and one more Narn Bin’tak dreadnought then you claim you had. Then IT disappears. I pull every string I’ve got and it turns out that its left Tallack VII and the trail vanishes in Quadrant Twenty-Seven.”

“Oh, quite right! I am enthralled by your narrative! Please, continue!” G’kar leaned forward eagerly, enjoying baiting the obviously frustrated human.

Garibaldi responded with a hard look. He then continued. “A full sensor sweep by White Star Twenty-Three revealed odd spatial distortions in that quadrant. After several days they finally discovered…something. The big brains analyzed the data, and came up with… let me get this right…” Garibaldi pushed a holodata screen projector toward him on his left and keyed the button. Text suddenly appeared before him, illuminating his face with a greenish glow. “A series of hyper spatial interstices… an external spatial continuum… with cross-sections of multiple quantum dimensional signatures… emerging into a coalescence of divergent realities.’” He pushed the holoscreen away in disgust. “The fact that you guys built a dreadnought in secret is one thing. But this!” Garibaldi waved his hand. He cocked his head quizzically. “G’kar?”

“Yes, Mr. Garibaldi.”

“Mind telling me where the hell you are?”

G’kar smiled at the simplicity of the question. “That is not a simple thing to answer, Mr. Garibaldi. It will take me a moment to explain. You have read the Book of G’quan, yes?”

Garibaldi blinked, shifted in his seat, and then tapped his lips with his fingers for a moment. ‘Well, I’ve glanced through it…”

At this the first citizen of Narn started, and leaned forward emphatically. “You said you read it! I gave you my own copy while I was in detention on Babylon Five! Handed down from my father’s father’s father, when I was just a pouchling! It is the focus of Narn culture, and the principle remaining work of our history. You promised me, Mr. Garibaldi….” The Narn’s voice rose dangerously as he said the human’s name.

“Well, G’kar, there was a lot going on then, and it was in old Narnese. Old Narn. Narnian? Whatever you called it. I read most of it! Like the stuff with the Shadows. That was the important part!”

The Narn grunted at this, and scowled. “It is ALL important, Mr. Garibaldi.”

“Yeah, yeah… I know.”

“If you had read it all then Mr. Garibaldi you would already have the answer to your question.”

Garibaldi smiled. “Well, I was always bad with homework, G’kar. Look, can you spare me the lecture and just tell me what I need to know?”

“A seeker of truth must learn first to frame the questions properly that he seeks to answer, Mr. Garibaldi. Still, in the interest of expediency, and as you are not one of my students, I will explain.”

“Long before the coming of the Centauri, even before the Shadows took our world as a base in the Wars of the Ancients, my people embraced spirituality as the ebb and flow of the greater cosmos. While terrans have their talk of angels, we have G’lan, the glowing disciples of the universe who speak with the wisdom of countless ages.

“You mean Vorlons.”

“That we don’t actually know, Mr. Garibaldi, though I grant it is certainly possible. If I may continue?” The human nodded. “One of the chapters, known as the Tale of T’marr, tell of a favored servant of the G’lan who was brought across space and time to the famed realm of G’aran. G’aran is the realm of wondrous possibility, where all things may occur. The parable spoke of G’aran meeting himself as he traveled through the stars and entered the famed land, and again on the way back. He saw incredible mysteries there, including the resurrection of the dead and cities that floated in the clouds. He also came across worlds of incredible richness and verdancy that he spoke of until his dying day as the most beautiful in all existence. The G’lan told him that few Narn will ever find their way to G’aran, but for those who do all things are possible.”

“So it’s like Narn heaven?”

“No, Mr. Garibaldi, you are listening but you do not comprehend. This isn’t a place of eternal reward after death. It is a place that we as living, breathing Narn can visit. That is, if we are taken there by the G’lan. Or, in our case, if we have the insight to decipher this…” G’kar opened his sacred text then, holding it in both hands so Garibaldi could see the inscription on the pages. On the left page was a picture of the planet surface, a hand etched drawing of the green and verdant forests with a large golden pyramid rising from amongst the trees. On the right was a series of concentric rings, with what appeared to be several planets and even different stars scattered around the page. A red line with the image of a Narn male and a glowing white figure next to it connected the different stars. “This is a map of T’marr’s wandering with the G’lan prior to finding himself in G’aran.”

“Well, I’ll be…. Looks like a star chart to me.”

“Indeed it does, Mr. Garibaldi. It was long thought to be such. It was assumed the point of origin was Homeworld. Numerous Narn spiritualists and explorers sought after fabled G’aran, but up until now none have achieved it. Why, you may ask? The assumption of the point of origin was incorrect.”

“But you, you sly old dog, figured out the puzzle?”

“An expedition I financed discovered Narn ruins on a previously unexplored moon. I won’t bother you with the details, but needless to say it provided the final clue to the puzzle.”

“OK. So the part I don’t get is the part where you embezzled money from the ISA earmarked for new construction on Narn to build a ship to take you there.”

“Once again, you are insightful, Mr. Garibaldi, because it would make little sense for me to do so. That is exactly why that such a thing never happened. There is a faction in my government that feels that we are wasting our resources rebuilding when we should end the threat of the Centauri once and for all. It is this group that controlled the shipyards that built this Bin’tak. Indeed, they are responsible for our trip here in its entirety. I seek to explore the truths of these sacred texts as a way to unify my people, to end our constant bickering and plotting and bring peace to the Regime. The revelation of such truths would go a long way toward achieving such a goal. For that purpose I convinced the crew of the Bin’tak to join me in my search, instead of wasting this magnificent ship in pointless revenge.”

“And it wouldn’t hurt if along the way you came across those beautiful and as the story says rich planets, right?”

G’kar bent forward, his voice taking on a conspiratorial edge. “Yes, that thought had occurred to me.”

“I get it. So you’ve found this place, this G’aran. A world where all things are possible. Ah… ‘An emerging coalescence of divergent realities,’ as the lab boys would say.”

“More than just a world, Mr.Garibaldi. We’ve brought a colony ship to this planet but what we’ve found is more than just that. There seems to be an entire galaxy here. Thousands of stars, each touched by the hand of creatures from unknown galaxies, universes, and times. A dimensional locus. The potential staggers the imagination.”

“Wow.”

“Wow indeed, Mr. Garibaldi. It is everything I could have ever hoped for. Except…” G’kar features contorted in frustration.

“What’s the problem, G’kar?”

“The problem is…is…. this!” The Narn reached over, grabbed the human boy by his collar, and hauled him in front of the view screen. “This… this… boy! There are hundreds of primitive humans down on G’aran IV!

Garibaldi’s face was expressionless. “Huh. How about that.”

“Is it possible these people are from a lost colony of Earth?

“Haven’t heard of such a thing. I could check into it for you.”

“It would probably be far back in your history.”

“What do you mean?”

“They are remarkably ignorant. Primitive, even. It would take a while for a space faring culture to devolve to this level. These humans have never heard of Earth. Indeed, they have never heard of the Narn! And the majority of them flee in terror at our approach. The best I can make out, they seem to think we are some creature from their mythology known as the Ooooh Naas.”

The boy, dangling from the Narn’s grip, giggled. “Unas.” He started giggling even more.

“They seem terrified by us. It’s all quite beyond reason.”

“He doesn’t.”

“This boy is… special. He is the only human who isn’t frightened by the very sight of us. And the only one I wish was! He seems to have… bonded with me. His mother ran off at our approach, and he’s followed me ever since. He even snuck on the shuttle when we returned form the planet.”

“Oooh-Nass!” The boy pointed at the irascible Narn and smiled.

“Yes, yes, Oooh-Nass. Whatever that means, boy.”

“How precious,” Garibaldi smiled. “Only problem with your theory, G’kar. Us Earthers haven’t been in space that long. Couple hundred years, tops. If we were missing an entire colony I think there would be a record some place.”

G’kar sighed, then lowered the boy gently to the floor. “A shame. I was hoping that Earthgov would claim these. It is a beautiful world, Mr. Garibaldi. To think the humans have prior claim to it when it would mean so much to my people…” G’kar clicked a button on his desk, and still photos from the world started displaying on the left side of the screen. He knew the images were being relayed to Garibaldi. The images of forests, gentle mountains and streams played across the interface.

:”Yeah. I’m sorry, G’kar, it is beautiful. Kind of reminds me of the forests around old Vancouver. Any chance you can work something out with the folks already there?”

“Not if they flee in terror each time we approach them. And we wish no ill will between our government and yours, Mr. Garibaldi.”

“Appreciate that, G’kar. There was a time when the Narn would have just hidden the humans from us. Or worse. And colonized anyway.”

“Yes, I suppose there was. But these are better times.”

“Or you have become better people.”
“I hope so, Mr. Garibaldi. I hope so.” G’kar breathed in deeply then sighed, and looked down at the human child, busy playing with a doll one of the crew had made for him in his brief tenure here. “Please inform President Sheridan of our findings here, Mr. Garibaldi. I hope you will consider my request to keep the nature of this place a secret from the rest of the interstellar community for the time being. I’d hate to see the Centauri here trying to exploit the situation.”

“Well, that’s up to John, G’kar. But I’ll see what I can do.”

At that moment a shrill whistle from the monitor interrupted the conversation. “A moment, Mr. Garibaldi,” G’kar stated, bending over his desk to hit a different button on the intercom. “Yes?” The little boy stood up, and propped his nose and fingers over the desk’s counter, looking curiously at the glowing buttons.

“This is Captain T’ral. Sir, we have detected a ship entering the inner solar system. There was no warning, and no jump vortex detected. It is on an intercept course for G’aran IV. Intercept time, one minute thirty seconds, mark.”

“Identification?”

“Unknown, sir.”

“Can you put the visual on my screen?”

“Yes, sir.”

The view screen flickered, and Mr. Garibaldi’s torso was compressed to the right as a picture of space bisectioned the screen on the left. A faint speck could be seen moving in the vastness of space. “Are you getting this, Mr. Garibaldi?”

“Yeah, G’kar.”

“Magnify.” The screen rippled, and the ship was barely evident. “Again.” The screen zoomed in, and the approaching vessel was displayed in all of its magnificence.

The little boy’s voice sounded far away. “’Tak,” he whispered.

G’kar looked down at him. “Yes, child. We are in a Bin’tak. It is the mightiest vessel in the Narn navy. You are in no danger.”

The boy shook his head. “No. No! ‘Tak.” He seemed almost frantic.

“What’s he trying to say, G’kar?” Garibaldi’s voice questioned.

The boy shook his head again. “No. ‘Tak. ‘Tak!’ He frowned, trying to fight his youth, trying to find the words.
Then the boy spit out, “HA-tak. Ha’tak.” He nodded to himself. Tears showed up in his eyes.

“Goa’uld,” he stated simply. Then he began to cry.

G’kar glanced up at the screen, and met Garibaldi’s eyes.

The voice on the intercom cut in again. “Minister G’kar, we are detecting a powerful energy spike coming from the approaching vessel.”

“Understood. I am on my way to the bridge, Captain T’ral. Please send Lt. Be’rak to my quarters to take care of the human child.” G’kar took a long stride toward the door, belting on his dagger.

“G’kar?”

“Yes, Mr. Garibaldi?”

“Good luck.”

“The universe does not believe in luck, Mr. Garibaldi. There is a plan for us all.”

“Yeah, I know. Good luck anyway.”

“Thank you, Mr. Garibaldi.” G’kar turned and hurried from the room.

In his office in Edgar Industries, a universe and quantum reality away, Michael Garibaldi, CEO of the megacorp Edgar Industries, former head of station security for Babylon 5, and current Chief of Intelligence for the Interstellar Alliance, shook his head. The image of the approaching starship, looking for all the world like something from the plateau of Giza, sent a chill down his spine. “What have you stumbled into this time, G’kar?” he said under his breath.

He tapped his fingers on the desk for a moment, lost in bewilderment. Then he hit the intercom. “Miss Grimes, could you please send some roses to Lise? Tell her I love her but I’m going to have to miss dinner tonight.”

He then turned around. “Computer, data encrypt Alpha Niner Three, red line, omega secure. User, Daffy. Password, Peekaboo23.”

The cabinet behind him opened its doors, revealing a giant view screen. The emblem of the Interstellar Alliance flared into being. A second later President John Sheridan appeared, his eyes a bit more tired than Garibaldi remembered, his beard a bit greyer, but the same strength and compassion that always flowed form the man in no less evidence. He was wearing his familiar purple suit.

“Something that couldn’t wait, Michael?”

“I think so. Something big, Mr. President.”

“Let’s have it, then.”

Garibaldi began to tell a story.

More! More!

Actually this was a fluff piece for a playtest for a wargame that I play, where a Goa'uld Hatak and a Narn Bin'tak fought it out. Really messy, long battle that could have gone either way.

We may be playing out some of this as a RPG set in the bleed, a multidimensional nexus point where different RPG settings could interact in a neutral area. Posted a bit on that a while back, with House Harkonnen from the Dune universe discovering the area. If you are interested I could repost that.

I'll look into writing up the battle as a story soon. Just like to keep fresh writing short stories every now and then.

Glad you two enjoyed it!

Dimensional nexus, huh?

You might find this useful: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1944628/1/

A bit more bloodthirsty than what I'd imagine, but might give you some ideas.

Heh... not bad. Read through the first five chapters or so. The tech assumptions I'd have to question - Trek technology is superior in a great many ways to B5, but I'm not entirely sure weaponry is one of them. And subspace sensors don't work at all like he is stating in terms of the continuity of the show - if you could lock on to a ship regardless of interference with subspace sensors, things like nebula or EM fields near the pole of a planet wouldn't be a problem, and its well established they are. Personally I think the Minbari would steam roll the UFP of the 23rd century - jump drive is at least as fast as Warp (one of the slower methods of FTL travel out there actually). Also they have numerous more ships, and absolutely dwarf the little trek ships in scale.

But its all in good fun. Saw one that has a bored Q switch out the UFP fleet from Wolf 359 with the Rebel flight assaulting the Death Star. Heheh.